Means for operating tramway-points.



No. 794,869. PATENTED JULY '18, 1905.

J. LEVY.

MEANS FOR OPERATING TRAMWAY POINTS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 28,1904.

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-l\To. 794,869.

NITEDI STATES Patented July 18, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

JACOB LEVY, OF JOHANNESBURG, TRANSVAAL.

M EAN$ FOR OPERATING TRANIWAY-POINTS.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 794,869, dated July 18,1905. Application filed November 28, 190 1- Serial No. 284,623.

To whom it may concern..-

Be it known that I, JACOB LEVY, a subject of the King of England,residing at Johannesburg, in the Colony of the Transvaal, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Means for Operating Tramway-Points, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to means for mechanically operatingtramway-points.

The invention is particularly applicable to single-track systems inwhich loops are provided along the main track to allow cars traveling inopposite directions to pass. With such single-track systems a largeamount of wear and tear takes place on the points and curves or loops ofthe permanent way, as well as on the wheels, axles, axle-boxes, andother parts of the car.

Now the object of the present invention is to obviate the necessity forthe vehicles turning off the main track or negotiating the points andtraveling the curve and loop lines except it be necessary to overtake orpass a car traveling in the same or opposite direction. By this means aquicker and more regular and efficient service is obtained, as itprevents the detention of the cars on the loops and obviates thenecessity for reducing the speed at which the car is traveling totransfer or run on to the loop-line, and it very materially prolongs thelife of the permanent way and rolling-stock.

In order that the invention may be the more readily understood, I appenda sheet of explanatory drawings marked with letters of referencecorresponding to the following description thereof, wherein- Figure 1represents a plan of the permanent Way, loop, and point, showing theapparatus in section. Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation of the apparatus,showing it operating to turn the car on to the loop. Fig. 3 is an endelevation showing the apparatus out of use, so that the car is permittedto traverse the main track past the point; and Fig. 4 is a longitudinalelevation of a part of the car, showing the means for operating themechanism.

In the drawings, A represents the main line or track comprising theparallel rails a a,

and B represents the loop comprising the rails Z) 6'. I

O represents the point, which is pivoted at 0. By placing the outer orfree end of the point C against the rail a of the main line A at thepoint a the cars pass along the main line and are not diverted on to theloop B, and by placing the point C clear of the main line A it operatesto direct the car on to the loop B in a manner that will be wellunderstood on reference to the drawings. The point C is shown in thelatter position in Fig. 1.

At one side of the track at or in proximity to the point C is erected apillar, post, or standard D of hollow or tubular construction. Thispillar D is preferably fitted with a cap d, closing it at the upper endto make it weatherproof.

At a suitable height in the pillar D is fixed an arm or bracket E, whichbracket E is constructed with a vertical slot 0.

F is a lever pivoted on a pin j, which is normally located in the bottomof the vertical slot 6. The long arm f of the lever F at its outerextremity carries a roller G. The arm f of the lever F projects in thedirection of the track A, so that the roller G is more or less over theinner rail 66 of the main line A and above the point C. The other andshorter arm f of the lever F projects into the interior of the pillar Dthrough a vertical hole d,

formed therein.

In the bottom of the pillar D on the pin 7: is pivoted a triangularplate H. One corner h of the plate H is pivotally connected to the innerarm f of the lever F by means of the link or rod J. To the other corner]L2 of the plate H is pivotally connected the rod K, which rod K isarranged in a conduit or underground passage between the lower end ofthe pillar D and the point C. The other end of the rod K is fixed to thepoint C at or in proximity to its free end.

L is a hinged plate which serves for inspecting the connection betweenthe rod K and the point O and at the same time serves as a stop for thepoint C when it is moved into the po sition shown in Fig. 1 to divertthe car onto the loop B.

On the top or roof of the car M at one side are fitted two ormore'brackets m, to which is hinged or pivoted a board or plate N, whichat its extremities is inclined downward, as is shown at a in Fig. 4. Onthe bottom edge of the board or plate N is formed or fixed a lug orbracket m, to which is attached one end of a spiral spring of, the otherend of which spring m is attached to a fixed nointon the top or roof ofthe car M. The springs m which are preferably provided at each end ofthe board or plate N, serve for raising said board N into a verticalposition, as seen in Figs. 2 and 4, to engage the roller G. At or inproximity to the top edge of the board or plateN is attached a chain,cord, or its equivalent m which at its other end has attached to it aring or loop of. A hook m is provided in a convenient position at theend of the car M, on which the ring or loop mmay be placed. The chain ofis made of such a length that when the ring 122 is in engagement withthe hook m the board N is retained in a more or less horizontalposition, in which position it does not engage or come into contact withthe roller G as the car M passes along the main line A. The lugs orbrackets m operate to prevent the board or plate N being drawn overbeyond the vertical by the springs m as shown in Fig. 2.

To each end of the pin or pivotf' for the lever F is fixed one end of aspiral spring the other end of which is fixed to the arm E below thepivot f. The springs f serve to take up any jar that may be producedwhen the plate or board N first strikes or comes into contact with theroller G. These springs f also permit the pivot-pin f to rise in theslot 0 should the link J be prevented from moving downward when theroller G is engaged by the plate or board N should the point C orleverKstick. The springs f are sufiiciently strong to keep the pinf atthe bottom of the slot ein the normal working of the apparatus.

The top horizontal edge of the plate or board N and the inclined edges amay be serrated or be formed with transverse grooves or flutes, so as torotate the roller Gr when it is in engagement with it or them.

The top horizontal edge of the board N commences at a point somedistance in advance of the wheels 0 of the car M, as shown in Fig. 4, sothat the roller G is raised suificiently high to operate the point 0some time before the wheels 0 reach the point C to divert the car M onto the loop B.

To bring the mechanism into operation to cause the car to pass from themain line A on to the loop B, the ring on is released from the hook mwhereupon the springs m raise the board N into a vertical position, asslfown in Figs. 2 and 4:. As the car travels along the main line A theinclined edge n of the board N comes into contact with the roller G, andthe roller riding up the inclined edge at on to the top edge of theboard N raises the arm f of the lever F, which lowers the arm f anddepresses the link J and rotates the triangular plate H aboutitspivot-pin /L. This throws the lever K forward, and the latter beingattached to the point C throws @the point C away from the line a, sothat the wheel 0 of the car M at the point a (see Fig. 1) passes fromthe rail a to the rail 6 of the loop B, the other wheels at the otherside of the car passing on to the other rail 6 of the loop B. As soon asthe board N has passed clear of the roller G the arm f of the lever Ffalls, raising the arm f and with it the link J, and rotating thetriangular plate H and drawing the lever K backward to place the point Cagainst the rail (0 of the main line A at the point a (See Fig. 1.) Whenit is desired to traverse the rails a a of the main line A, the board Nis held down by the chain 777, and hook on, as shown in Fig. 3, so thatthe point C is not operated.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to protect by Letters Patent,is

1. In apparatus for operating tramwaypoints, in combination, a pillar, alever pivoted thereto, means connecting said lever with the point, thepoint and main and loop lines, a vehicle, and a board or plate carriedby the vehicle adapted when raised to operate the lever to move thepoint, substantially as described.

2. In apparatus for operating tramwaypoints, in combination, a pillar,an arm or bracket fixed thereto, a lever resiliently pivoted to saidarm, means connecting said lever to the point, a point and main trackand loop, a vehicle traversing said main line and a board or platecarried by the vehicle adapted when raised to operate the lever to movethe point, substantially as described.

3. In apparatus for operating tramwaypoints, in combination, a pillar,an arm or bracket fixed thereto having a vertical slot formed therein, alever pivoted in said vertical slot, a spring attached to thelever-pivot which. allows the lever-pivot to rise under certainconditions, a roller mounted on the end of said lever, means connectingsaid lever to the point, a point and the main line and loop, and avehicle adapted to travel thereon, a board or plate hinged to thevehicle which is adapted when raised to engage the roller to raise thelever which operates the point to divert the vehicle on to the loop,substantially as described.

4. In apparatus for operating tramwaypoints, in combination, a pillar, abracket or arm fixed thereto having a vertical slot, apin located insaid slot and a spring for retaining said pin under normal conditions inthe bottom of said slot, a lever pivoted on the pin, a roller carried bythe end of the lever, a point and main line and loop, means connectingthe lever with the point, a car or vehicle, a plate run clear of theroller so that the vehicle will traverse the main line past the point,substantially as described and shown.

5. .In apparatus for operating tramwaypoints, in combination, a pillararranged in proximity to the point, an arm or bracket carried by saidpillar, having a vertical slot, a pin located in said slot, springsattached to said pin for keeping said pin in the bottom of the slot andallowing it to rise in the slot under certain circumstances, a leverpivoted on the pin, a roller mounted on the end of said lever, atriangular plate pivoted in or in proximity to the bottom of the pillar,a link connecting one corner of said plate to the inner arm of the leverinside the pillar, a lever attached to the other corner of the plate atone end and to the point at the other end, the point and the main lineand loop, an inspection-door which serves as a stop for the point, a caror vehicle adapted to traverse the main line or loop, a plate or boardhinged on the top or roof of the car or vehicle, a chain attached tosaid plate or board and a ring attached to said chain, a hook affixed tothe car adapted to be engaged bythe ring to retain the plate or board inits inoperative position and springs fixed to the plate or board at oneend and to a fixed part of the car at the other end for raising theplate or board when the ring is disengaged from the hook so that theplate or board engages the roller on the lever to operate the point todivert the car or vehicle on to the loop, substantially as described andshown.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

JACOB LEVY.

Witnesses:

CHAS. OVENDALE, R. OVENDALE.

